Apple, Samsung and Other Firms Reportedly Push Back on Preinstallation of Aadhaar App on Phones

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) launched the full version of its new Aadhaar app earlier this year. Around the same time, India's telecom ministry reportedly made a private request to smartphone companies to preinstall the Aadhaar biometric identification app on all new devices. Now, a new report suggests that this proposal has faced opposition from the Manufacturers' Association for Information Technology (MAIT). Companies like Apple and Samsung have reportedly raised concerns about the move, citing security and safety concerns.

Smartphone Makers Say Preinstallation Would Increase Production Costs

As reported by Reuters, an internal email from the MAIT dated January 13 revealed that the UIDAI had approached India's IT ministry earlier in January to engage Google, Apple, and other leading smartphone makers to explore preinstalling the latest version of the Aadhaar app on their smartphones. Although this was not an outright order, the move was said to have triggered pushback from the industry.

The Reuters report citing MAIT documents states that companies have opined that such preinstallation requirements would increase their production costs and risks, creating functional issues for users. Citing industry sources, the report noted that Apple and Samsung raised questions about safety and security. As per an email sent ​from MAIT to its members in January, UIDAI stated that preinstalling the app would enable "readily access essential Aadhaar functionalities without the need for separate downloads" and "enhance its reach and accessibility".

MAIT's member companies reportedly disagreed with the plan to preload the Aadhaar app on handsets, stating that mandatory preinstallation "would not drive greater public good" and could force manufacturers to maintain separate production lines for India and exports. The industry body further noted that such requirements are rare globally, with Russia among the few countries that mandate preinstalled government apps.

However, it is reportedly still uncertain whether the proposal is still under consideration or has been dropped. MAIT, in a statement to Reuters, reportedly said its internal communications are confidential. The Aadhaar app preinstall proposal is said to be one of six initiatives that MAIT has formally opposed.

The Aadhaar app, fully launched in January, allows users to verify credentials and authenticate with Aadhaar. Available on Android and iOS, the app also lets users update personal information, manage family profiles, and lock their biometric data to ensure security. This app is available in 13 Indian languages. Critics argued that the proposal reflects an increasing level of government control over smartphone usage.